Cylindrical packages



March 5, 1963 E. RAAMAT 3,080,048

CYLINDRICAL PACKAGES Filed Dec. 15. 1960 In ventor ERIC RAAMAT3,il80,048 CYLINDREQAL .PACKASES Eric Raamat, Scarborough, Bntario,Canada, assignor, by esne assignments, to Superpack V ending (Curacao)N.A., Willemstad, Curacao, Netherlands Antilles, a corporation ofCuracao Filed Dec. 15, 19 50, Ser. No. 75,994 8 Cims. (Cl. 205-46) Thisinvention relates to a cylindrical package particularly adapted for thevending of granular or flake merchandise such as soaps, foldablematerials such as cloth and plastic articles of manufacture.

The packaging of soap and other large volume per unit cost merchandisehas been practised heretofore substantially entirely in rectangularboxes of a variety of proportions. Having regard to the stacking ofrectangular packages only, it is obvious that a maximum volume ofproduct can be stored in a vertical stack of rectangular packages ascompared with any other geometric form of package.

In considering the dispensing of packages of the prior art from avertical stack in such manner that a magazine is filled with e packagesin vertical stacked relationship, the mechanical mechanism necessary toextract a package may be so designed as to reciprocate on a path atleast equal to one transverse dimension of a package when stacke This iswell established in the know-how of the dispensing arts. However, it isimpractical from a merchandising point of View to provide a magazineholding a stack of rectangular packages for the dispensing of soap forexample. For each dispensing mechanism the magazine must be of verygreat height to accommodate a reasonable number of packages.Accordingly, it is necessary to multiply the dispensing mechanism andmagazine in plural form to such a degree that the dispensing conceptparticularly if associated with a vending mechanism is renderedimpractical having regard to the efiorts required to recharge themagazines as well as the substantial floor space involved.

it is not possible in the practical sense to provide a vending mechanismwhich will enable rectangular article storage magazines to be located indepth, that is, one behind the other. in spite of attempts made in theprior art, there does not appear to be a reliable mechanism availablefor selecting articles from the magazines in sequence. A rectangulararticle is not self-feeding or selfmovable except in a verticaldirection under the influence of gravity. Nor have magazine designs beenproposed in the prior art which would enable selective self-feeding froma plurality of vertical magazines to a common point with rectangulararticles unless a transfer mechanism is employed. The utilization of atransfer mechanism due to general lack of reliability and the expenseinvolved, does not permit its employment in mechanisms to be operated bythe general public.

It is accordingly, the main object of this invention to provide apackage form adapting the sale of granular and pliable sheet productsfor sale by the use of dispensing apparatus and especially vendingmechanisms in such manner as to avoid the aforementioned prior artdisadvantages.

Other objects will be apparent from a study of the followingspecification taken into conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

in the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of a preferred form of package according tothe invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional diagrammatic illustration of a preferred form ofdispensing mechanism for the package of FIGURE 1 and embracing therewitha concept of the invention herein.

Attempts to provide a transfer mechanism which will distribute fromplural magazines to a single dispensing mechanism have been proposed butare not suited to the vending of large volume per unit cost productsbecause of their expense and lack of reliability.

It is a part of the concept of this invention that if the package can beprovided in such shape as to effect its own transfer to a dispensingposition, a transfer mechanism may be eliminated and in addition themagazine may be enlarged laterally rather than vertically to accommodatea much greater volue of merchandise for a given height even though thepackage shape desirable may be less efficient in its volume content.

Accordingly the present invention contemplates the general formillustrated in FIGURE 1 and generally designated by numeral 14 in whichthe package is given its rigid character by a paper tube 15 ofcylindrical form. The tube is sealed by providing there-about a plasticfilm such as a polyethylene film 16 to which disc like ends 17 ofpolyethylene film are heat sealed as at the over-lapping flange portion13 to effect sealed closure thus to contain a product within the tube15.

The structure of the packaging cylinder or cylindrical container of thepres nt invention is such that the rigid irmer body 15 formed of a cheappaper base material that is to say, a fibrous material, comprises inexcess of about 76% or" the total weight of the package when empty. Ithas been found that a very light weight plastic film may be employed forsealing the package and as indicated may be in the form of apolyethylene sheet material extending entirely over the exteriorsurfaces and ends of the tube 15. Preferably the weight of the tube inrelation to the weight of the entire package structure when empty shouldbe in excess of of the total weight but less than about 96% havingregard to the necessary weight of plastic film or sheet required to sealthe end openings 19 of tube 15 with sufiicient rigidity and strength toretain the package product therein.

Now referring to FIGURE 2 it will be apparent that by providing a chuteor bin like structure 2 having downwardly converging guide walls 21 and22 adapted to deliver the cylindrical objects or packages 14 to thedispensing point 23, the vending mechanism 12 may deliver a package at atime to the ramp 24 to cause the dispensed article to roll to aretrieving position 25 at the opening of the dispensing mechanismstructure 27. The form of magazine 23 may be a suitable upwardcontinuation of the walls 21 and 22 having regard to the lengthdimension M of the package 14 shown in FIGURE 1. Thus the dimension L ofthe magazine 23 is not restricted by the dimensions of the packageaccording to this invention. Nor is it restricted by the dimensions oravailable actuating motion of the vending mechanism 3.2.

It will be a parent that the article and dispensing mechanism of theinvention enables the dispensing of a large volume of a product with asingle dispensing mechanism without resorting to transfer mechanisms ormultiple magazine structures. While cylindrical containers have beenproposed heretofore for the packaging of mere andise and applicantherein is aware of the existence of cylindrical containers of variouskinds, applicants machine dispensable container is of a generalcharacter and form in association with dispensing mechanisms differentfrom that of the prior art to a degree enabling the merchandising ofproducts of low cost per unit volume adaptable for machine delivery tothe general public.

Having regard to the foregoing it will be appreciated that the inventionin its broader aspects embodies a selffeeding merchandising packageadapted to be dispensed by conventional dispensing mechanisms andcomprising a hollow cylindrical body formed of fibrous material andoneness 3 adapted to contain the'merchandise therewithin. Preferably thepackage embodies 70% by weight of fibrous material the remainder beingsubstantially a plastic material sealably extending over the entireexterior surfaces of the fibrous cylindrical tube and the ends thereofto seal merchandise therein.

What I claim is:

1. A self-feedingmerchandising'package adapted to be dispensed byconventional dispensing mechanisms and comprising: a hollow cylindricalopen ended body formed of fibrous material and containing themerchandise there- Within; a plastic film extending entirely over theexterior surfaces or" said body; and plastic end closures of thinflexible plastic sheet material on each said open end bonded to saidplastic film on said body in a marginal area around each said open end,said closure in the area of said bonding being shaped to fit around andconform to the contour of said body to sealably contain the merchandisetherein and being manually tearable to permit access to saidmerchandise.

2. A self-feeding merchandising package adapted'to be dispensed byconventional dispensing mechanisms and comprising: a hollow cylindricalopen ended body formed of fibrous material and containing themerchandise therewithin; a plastic film extending entirely over theexterior surfaces of said body; and plastic end closures of thinflexible plastic sheet material on each said open end bonded to saidplastic film on said body in a marginal area around each said open end,said closure in the area of said bonding being shaped to fit around andconform to the contour of said body to sealably contain the merchandisetherein and being manually tearable to permit access to saidmerchandise, the proportion of fibrous material being in excess or" 70%by weight of said fibrous material and said plastic material together.

3. A self-feeding merchandising package adapted to be dispensed byconventional dispensing mechanisms and comprising: a hollow cylindricalopen-ended body formed of fibrous material and containing themerchandise there- Within; a polyethylene film extending entirely overthe exterior surfaces of said body; and plastic end closures of thinflexible plastic sheet material on each said open end bonded to saidplastic film on said body in a marginal area around each said open end,said closure in the area of said bonding being shaped to fit around andconform to the contour of said body to sealably contain the merchandisetherein and being manually tearable to permit access to saidmerchandise.

4. A self-feeding merchandising package adapted to be dispensed byconventional dispensing mechanisms and comprising: a hollow cylindricalopen ended body formed of fibrous material and containing themerchandise therewithin; a polyethylene film extending entirely over theexterior surfaces of said body; and plastic end closures ofthinfiexible' plastic sheet material on each said open end bonded tosaid plastic film on said body in a marginal area around each said openend, said closure in the area of said bonding being shaped to fit aroundand conform to the contour of said body to sealably contain themerchandise therein and being manually tearable to permit access to saidmerchandise, the proportion of fibrous ma terial being in excess of 70%by weight of said fibrous material and said polyethylene materialtogether.

' 5. A self-feeding merchandising package adapted to be dispensed byconventional dispensing. mechanisms and comprising: a hollow cylindricalopen ended body formed of rigid paper material and containing themerchandise therewithin; a plastic film extending entirely over theexterior surfaces of said body; "and plastic end closures of thinflexible plastic sheet material on each said open end bonded to saidplastic film on saidbody in a marginal area around each said open end,said closure in the area of said bonding being shaped to fit around andconform to the contour of said body to sealably contain the merchandisetherein and being manually tearable to permit access to saidmerchandise.

6. A self-feeding merchandising package adapted to be dispensed byconventional dispensing mechanisms and comprising: a hollow cylindricalopen ended body formed of rigid paper material and containing themerchandise, therewithin; a plastic film extending entirely over theexterior surfaces of said body; and plastic end closures of thinflexible plastic sheet material on each said open, end bonded to saidplastic film on said body in a marginal area around each said open end,said closure in the area of said bonding being shaped to fit around andconform to the contour of said body to sealably contain the merchandisetherein and being manually tearable to permit access to saidmerchandise, the proportion of rigid paper material being in excess ofby weight of said rigid paper material and said plastic materialtogether.

7. A self-feeding merchandising package adapted to be dispensed byconventional dispensing mechanisms and comprising: a hollow cylindricalopen ended body formed of rigid paper material and containing themerchandise therewithin; a polyethylene film extending entirely over theexterior surfaces of said body; and plastic end closures of thinflexible plastic sheet material on each said open, end bonded to saidplastic film on said body in a marginal area around each said open end,said closure in the area of said bonding being shaped to fit around andconform to the contour of said body to sealably containthe merchandisetherein and being manually tearable to permit access to saidmerchandise.

8. A self-feeding merchandising package adapted to be dispensed byconventional dispensing mechanisms and comprising: a hollow cylindricalopen-ended body formed of rigid paper material and containing themerchandise therewithin; a polyethylene film extending entirely over theexterior surfaces of said body; and plastic end closures of thinflexible plastic sheet material on each said open end bonded to saidplastic film on said body in a marginal area around each said open end,said closure in the area of said bonding being shaped to fit around andconform to the contour of said body to sealably contain the merchandisetherein and being manually tearable to permit access to saidmerchandise, the proportion ofv rigid paper material being in exces of70% by weightof said rigid paper material and said polyethylene materialtogether.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS647,187 Knapp Apr. 10, 1900' 1,310,185 Gossom July 15, 1919 2,268,245Davis Dec. 30, 1941 2,393,347 Stuart et al. Jan. 22, 1946 2,691,474Olson Oct. 12, 1954 2,808,192 Raisin Oct. 1, 1957 2,885,105 Heyl et al.May 5, 1959' 2,937,744 Olson May 24, 1960' 2,975,074 Jankens et al Mar.14, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 705,816 Great Britain Mar. 17, 1954 t

1. A SELF-FEEDING MERCHANDISING PACKAGE ADAPTED TO BE DISPENSED BYCONVENTIONAL DISPENSING MECHANISMS AND COMPRISING: A HOLLOW CYLINDRICALOPEN ENDED BODY FORMED OF FIBROUS MATERIAL AND CONTAINING THEMERCHANDISE THEREWITHIN; A PLASTIC FILM EXTENDING ENTIRELY OVER THEEXTERIOR SURFACES OF SAID BODY; AND PLASTIC END CLOSURES OF THINFLEXIBLE PLASTIC SHEET MATERIAL ON EACH SAID OPEN END BONDED TO SAIDPLASTIC FILM ON SAID BODY IN A MARGINAL AREA AROUND EACH SAID OPEN END,SAID CLOSURE IN THE AREA OF SAID BONDING BEING SHAPED TO FIT AROUND ANDCONFORM TO THE CONTOUR OF SAID BODY TO SEALABLY CONTAIN THE MERCHANDISETHEREIN AND BEING MANUALLY TEARABLE TO PERMIT ACCESS TO SAIDMERCHANDISE.